the left coast- part 1

It all started with a snow storm swirling around the city that delayed our trip. Staring out of the apartment window, I wondered if it were a sign that we weren’t meant to go on vacation–this doubt intruded as the Year of the Tiger approached in a few days. The Chinese New Year is all about auspicious signs and symbols, and I didn’t like what these were saying just then. I pushed away those thoughts, continued to edit my packing, and tried to think of less loaded Western concepts—such as cuisine possibilities in San Francisco.

So M and I escaped snowed-in New York as the plane took off the next morning in a fairly timely manner. As we caught up on movies during the flight and dined on food better suited to 10-year-old campers, I was feeling blasé. Everything seemed so quiet and uneventful, even as we stood outside of the airport, waiting for our friends to pick us up. Then a brand new SUV flashed its head lights and pulled up in front of us. That was the last time I felt unengaged until we returned to New York after nine days of non-stop activities. OK, non-stop eating activities.

The first highlight came that very first evening. Just when I thought we were having a quiet dinner for four, it turned out to be a birthday celebration for 11 in Gary Danko‘s private room. Good thing we were separated from the main crowd of sedate diners–we joked, ate, and drank with much noise encouraged by the congenial maître d.

Our Menu at Gary Danko

Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Apples (pictured)
or
Dungeness Crab Salad, Avocado, Citrus, Shaved Fennel with Meyer Lemon-Tarragon Vinaigrette (pictured)

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Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Edamame and Tarragon (pictured)
or
Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers and Mustard Sauce (pictured)

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Lemon Pepper Duck Breast with Duck Hash, Celery Root-Garlic PurÈe and Cardamom Poached Pears (pictured)
or
Braised Lamb Shoulder and Herb Crusted Loin with Barley Stew, Red Pepper Relish and Cumin Yogurt (pictured)

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Baked Chocolate Souffle with Two Sauces
or
Persimmon Pudding with Blood Oranges, Almond Streusel, Creme Anglaise and Vanilla Ice Cream

I’m usually not a fan of large dinner parties at restaurants—especially when it’s a virgin visit. It’s very hard to gauge the quality of the food and service with the distractions. However, since our host and a few friends were regulars at this establishment, I fully trusted their choice of food and wine. The evening was festive and the dishes were enjoyably innovative. After a few glasses of celebratory champagne, I started my meal with Sonoma Fois that paired beautifully with the caramelized apples and onions. This dish was straight forward, well balanced with a savory richness. The umami factor was dead on. Roasted Lobster was a good choice to follow the Fois. The sweet lobster meat was lighter and paired very well with a 2006 Domaine Amiot Guy Chassagne-Montrachet.

If it weren’t for the fantastic 2007 Saxum from James Berry Vineyard in Paso Robles that we were about to savor, I wouldn’t have chosen duck. The richness of the Lemon Pepper Duck Breast provided a sensation of a classic French sauce.  Sips of red wine cleansed the palette to prepare for the next bite. It’s been a while since I had soufflé, and the well-prepared chocolate gem renewed my fondness for this airy classic. Every course was prepared with utmost confidence and the service was so well orchestrated that our flow of conversations were never interrupted by the staff. I say that was a pretty good start for a foodie vacation.

We left for the warming sun (80 degrees during the day) and slower pace of Palm Springs for four days. Of course, none of this would have been laid-back if it weren’t for our hosts who made all the arrangements and selected some more relaxed, enjoyable restaurants. I suppose even a foodie needs taste-bud break from complex dishes with unusual combinations of flavors. One real surprise was a Brooklyn-quality deli in Palm Springs—Sherman’s. Gefilte fish in the desert? Who knew?

We returned to SF for a few days to explore the Bay area and the Ferry Building, of course. No matter how many times you go there, it just feels right. We went straight to Hog Island Oysters Company for those luscious briny delicacies plus a clam chowder that had so much fresh clams in the shells that it’s hardly qualified as chowder. The hunk of crusty sourdough from Acme was the perfect utensil to soak up the creamy broth. We enjoyed this delightful feast of ocean freshness washed down with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc. After lunch, we crossed the hall to Miette for dessert and savored Lemon Cupcake and Grapefruit Mousse Cake with freshly brewed Americano from Blue Bottle Coffee Co. We walked out with chocolates from Recchiuti Confections, crusty bread from Acme, and Tieguanyin Tea from Imperial Tea Court. Now that’s what I call a vacation afternoon.

To jump ahead, we traveled to the culinary Mecca on the last day of our vacation. Thanks to none other than our can-do-it host, we got a reservation at French Laundry. For people who have no idea what French Laundry is—don’t think about clean folded sheets. French Laundry is a Napa Valley landmarked restaurant located in Yontville, California. In 2006, the restaurant was awarded three stars in the inaugural Michelin Guide to the Bay Area. Chef Thomas Keller is the only American chef to have been awarded simultaneous Michelin stars for two different restaurants. Per Se being the second restaurant located in New York. I’ve been dreaming about dining at French Laundry for years, and now we get to go without the long wait for a reservation. Since it was a few days after Chinese New Year, I could only sum it up as an auspicious sign for things to come this year. I decided to believe in this symbol.

So I’ll let you digest a bit and I will continue our visit to San Francisco in my next entry.